DA: Protector must investigate Cele

The DA will ask Public Protector Thuli Madonsela to investigate a tender awarded by suspended national police commissioner Bheki Cele, it said on Sunday.

“There appear to have been a range of irregularities,” said Democratic Alliance spokeswoman Dianne Kohler-Barnard.

Suspended national police commissioner Bheki Cele allegedly signed off on a R26 million contract to provide accommodation to 1280 police officers during the 2010 World Cup, the Sunday Times reported.

The contract was awarded to Thoshan Panday, the owner of Goldcoast Trading, and was not put out to tender, the newspaper reported. Officials had apparently claimed there was no time “to advertise the bid”.

Treasury rules state that all government contracts worth more than R500,000 should follow a bid process.

According to the Sunday Times, three police officials in key positions were given gifts by Panday to ensure the deal was approved.

Kohler-Barnard said she would ask Madonsela to investigate the reported receipt of gifts.

She would also ask Madonsela to look into “repeated unsuccessful attempts” to suspend Major-General Johan Booysen, the head of the Hawks in KwaZulu-Natal, who was investigating the deals.

Kohler-Barnard called for the suspension of police officials implicated in the tender scandal, pending the outcome of the Public Protector's investigation.

“Given the facts at hand, it is untenable for them to continue in their current positions, where they are supposed to ensure that the law is upheld and respected, when serious questions are being asked about their involvement in criminal activities,” she said. - Sapa